Four Easy Ways to Simplify Christmas

I can't think of anybody who wouldn't like a little less stress during the holidays. The following list might give you some ideas for your own hassle-free holiday season.

Spend some time thinking about what you love, and what you hate, about the holidays. Start finding things to cut down, eliminate, simplify.

1.A Christmas tree is NOT mandatory. Once you realize this, it's very freeing to make the decision about whether or not to put up a tree this year. In the last three years, one year we put up a tree, but twice we did not. We hung a fresh wreath inside our home, and displayed candles and poinsettias instead. It makes decorating quick and easy. Of course, if you still enjoy decorating a tree, by all means continue the tradition.

2.Consider your Christmas card list. Do you enjoy writing and sending cards each year, or does it take time you'd rather use doing something else? Would your budget be less pinched if you sent out fewer cards, or even none at all? Just because somebody sends you a card doesn't mean you have to feel guilty about not sending them one in return. With postal costs increasing as they are, mailing cards is no longer such an inexpensive way to stay in touch with family and friends.

3.You don't have to be Martha Stewart in the kitchen. I happen to enjoy holiday baking, but if it ever becomes a chore rather than a joy, I won't do it any more. If you don't like to spend time in the kitchen, cross holiday baking off your list. For the sake of your stress levels, it's fine to place an order for goodies at your local bakeshop. Try to simplify your holiday meals too. Don't kill yourself slaving over a hot stove if it's not really something you want to be doing. Try a potluck dinner, or maybe even make reservations at your favorite restaurant.

4.Slash your shopping list. Do you have friends and family that will agree to stop exchanging gifts? This is an easy way to reduce the number of gifts you have to buy. If not exchanging gifts seems a little too extreme at first, will the family agree to drawing names, and/or setting limits on the amount to spend for gifts? This can further reduce the amount of shopping you need to do. If you don't like to go shopping, make it easy on yourself and purchase gift certificates online, or even give a gift of cash presented in a money enclosure card. We've given cash gifts to our grandchildren for a few years now, and they enjoy it because they can look forward to shopping the after-Christmas sales, which means that they will get even more "bang for their buck".

Those are four easy ways to simplify Christmas. Hopefully this will be a good starting point for your own hassle-free holiday this year.